FAMILY. >> SHE WAS THE PERSON YOU WANTED TO BE AROUND. >> CARRIE BENABOU IT STILL pTRYING OT BELIEVE IT. HER FRIEND MARYBETH GUINEY WAS AMONG THE 34 PEOPLE WHO DID NOT SURVIVE THE FIRE ONBOARD THE CONCEPTION DIVE BOAT LAST WEEKEND OFF THE COAST OF SANTA CRUZ. IN RECENT YEARS, GUINEY WORKED AS SALES DIRECTOR ON THE WEST COAST, BUT NEVER FORGOT HER ROOTS. >> WHEN SHE WAS HOME, SHE WAS -- SHE WAS LESS GET A DRINK, THIS IS WHERE I WILL BE. >> IN FACT, AT ONE TIME GUINEY WORKED FOR THE NE PATRIOTS, THE ORGANIZATION RELEASED A STATEMENT TODAY SAYING IT’S DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF HER TRAGIC THAT. -- CREDIT -- TRAGIC THAT -- CREDIT IN -- TRAGIC DEATH. WE SEND OUR SINCEREST SYMPATHIES TO HER FAMILY AND ALL WHO MOURN MARYBETH’S LOSS. >> SHE JUST LOVED THE OUTDOORS AND LOVED THE ADVENTURE. >> AND FRIENDS SAY GUINEY LED AND LIVED BY EXAMPLE. THE ONLY SURVIVORS OF THAT BOAT FIRE, THE CAPTAIN AND 4 CREW ME

A Massachusetts native was among the 34 people killed in a tragic boat fire that happened in waters off Southern California.Marybeth Guiney, who called Boston her hometown, was working as a sales director in Santa Monica. She was an ocean enthusiast who was dedicated to the protection of marine life and enjoyed scuba diving.“I overheard a friend talking about Marybeth and what a tragedy that was, and how she loved to dive, and I thought: ‘No, no, no, no, not my Marybeth,’” said friend Carrie Benabou.Heartbroken friends paid tribute to Guiney online, including the Malibu Divers dive shop.“She was the person you wanted to be around. She was fun -- the best smile, the best laugh,” Benabou said.Guiney was once an employee of the New England Patriots, who released the following statement:“The New England Patriots organization is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Marybeth Guiney. We send our sincerest sympathies to her family and all who mourn Marybeth’s loss.”Officials have vowed to find what sparked the inferno aboard the dive boat Conception that happened in waters off Southern California, two days after it departed from a Santa Barbara dock early Saturday morning.The Conception was on the final day of a Labor Day weekend cruise when the fire erupted and a mayday call was made by the breathless captain overwhelmed by smoke.People and the Los Angeles Times reported two exits may have been blocked by fire.While initial details were limited, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said fire above deck blocked the one stairway and an emergency exit hatch where 33 passengers and one crew member were sleeping in their bunks.It's not known if any alarm sounded or what the people below deck may have done to try to escape."If an emergency exit is blocked due to fire and prevents one from escaping, it's a horrific situation," said Hendrik Keijer, an investigator with Robson Forensic who has captained cruise ships and operated cargo boats. "Vessels are mazes."The five survivors were all crew members, including the captain. They apparently jumped from the bow, where the stairway led to the sleeping quarters, and swam to the stern, where they escaped in a dinghy and were taken aboard a nearby boat.Coast Guard records show fire safety violations on the Conception in 2014 and 2016 were quickly fixed. There were no deficiencies found in February or August 2018 inspections.Investigators will want to produce a timeline of the ship's final voyage. They will look at the ship's layout and whether the bunk room below deck was too cramped and had enough exits, review maintenance records and even study photos and videos from people who have been on the boat to look for valuable evidence.The Associated Press and the Hearst National Desk Staff contributed to this report.

CANTON, Mass. —

A Massachusetts native was among the 34 people killed in a tragic boat fire that happened in waters off Southern California.

Marybeth Guiney, who called Boston her hometown, was working as a sales director in Santa Monica. She was an ocean enthusiast who was dedicated to the protection of marine life and enjoyed scuba diving.

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“I overheard a friend talking about Marybeth and what a tragedy that was, and how she loved to dive, and I thought: ‘No, no, no, no, not my Marybeth,’” said friend Carrie Benabou.

“She was the person you wanted to be around. She was fun -- the best smile, the best laugh,” Benabou said.

Guiney was once an employee of the New England Patriots, who released the following statement:

“The New England Patriots organization is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Marybeth Guiney. We send our sincerest sympathies to her family and all who mourn Marybeth’s loss.”

Officials have vowed to find what sparked the inferno aboard the dive boat Conception that happened in waters off Southern California, two days after it departed from a Santa Barbara dock early Saturday morning.

The Conception was on the final day of a Labor Day weekend cruise when the fire erupted and a mayday call was made by the breathless captain overwhelmed by smoke.

While initial details were limited, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said fire above deck blocked the one stairway and an emergency exit hatch where 33 passengers and one crew member were sleeping in their bunks.

It's not known if any alarm sounded or what the people below deck may have done to try to escape.

"If an emergency exit is blocked due to fire and prevents one from escaping, it's a horrific situation," said Hendrik Keijer, an investigator with Robson Forensic who has captained cruise ships and operated cargo boats. "Vessels are mazes."

The five survivors were all crew members, including the captain. They apparently jumped from the bow, where the stairway led to the sleeping quarters, and swam to the stern, where they escaped in a dinghy and were taken aboard a nearby boat.

Coast Guard records show fire safety violations on the Conception in 2014 and 2016 were quickly fixed. There were no deficiencies found in February or August 2018 inspections.

Investigators will want to produce a timeline of the ship's final voyage. They will look at the ship's layout and whether the bunk room below deck was too cramped and had enough exits, review maintenance records and even study photos and videos from people who have been on the boat to look for valuable evidence.

The Associated Press and the Hearst National Desk Staff contributed to this report.